Battery plate assembling machine



May L R934@ A. MAYER BATTERY PLATE ASSEMBLING MACHINE Filed Sept. 2S, 1930 NvENToR ATTORNEYS May E, 119ML A. MAYER BATTERY PLATE ASSEMBLING NIA-CHINE 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 2`

INVENTOR l 1L n Il L l L N IL 1L ll il [@M 1L l 1L Tl mm ATTORNEYS Mfay l, QQ A, MAYER v 3,956,87@

BATTERY PLATE ASSEMBLING MACHINE Filed Sept. 26, 1930 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 ATTORNEYS Patented May 1, 1934' UNITED STATES BATTERY PLATE AssEMBLING MACHINE Arthur Mayer, Detroit, Mich.

' Application September 26, 1930, Serial No. 484,601

' (ci. za-ssi 7 Claims.

This invention relates to a machine for assembling battery-'plates or grids, and its object is to provide a machine for holding a series of cast battery grids and casting integral therewith, a

connecting bar and post to form a complete bank or assembly of grids. A further object is to provide means for holding one or more seriesv of such pre-formed grids in proper spaced relation and arranging such holding means to provide a lo mold for casting a connecting bar and post integral therewith, thus facilitating assembly and greatly increasing production.

A divisional application relating to the method disclosed herein was filed June 23rd, 1931, Serial No. 546,355, and has been issued as Patent No. 1,897,066, of February 14th, 1933.

With the above and other ends in view, the invention consists in providing a machine having means for holding one or more series of. grids to form one or more assemblies and providing a mold in which to cast a connecting bar and post integral with each series while so held. The invention further consists in providing means for severing the gate or sprue while the assembly is firmly held, and means for opening the mold and ejecting the assembly after the casting operation. The invention further consists in the provision of certain other new and useful features, all as hereinafter set forth and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a plan view of a machine illustrative of an embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the same;

Fig. 3 is an end view similar to Figure 2, but showing the machine in closed or casting position; g

Fig. 4 is alongitudinal section substantially upon the line 4-4 of Figure 1, but showing the parts in the position shown in Figure 3;

Fig. 5 is a view like Figure 4, except that the sprue severing means is shown in position with the sprue severed;

Fig. 6 is a transverse section substantially upon the line 6-6 of Figure 1 and looking in the direction of the arrows; Y

Fig. 7 isl a section substantially upon the line 7-7 of Fig. 1, and looking in a direction opposite to that of Fig. 6;

Fig. 8 is a longitudinal sectional vview similar to that of Fig. 5 and showing the machine in open or work discharging position as in Figs. 1 and 2; and

Fig. 9 is an end elevation of the complete assembly after removal from the machine.

The battery plates or grids 1 are preformed or cast in the usual manner and are of the usual construction, each having a tang 2 projecting 60 from an edge of the grid, and the purpose of this machine is to assemble these grids in banks or groups in properly spaced relation and with the tangs 2 of each group connected by a transverse connecting bar 3 integral therewith, and with 05 this bar provided with an integral terminal post 4.

To hold the plates or grids 1 in one or more groups each consisting of the desired number -of grids and in properly spaced relation, a holder member 5 is formed in its upper side with slots 70 6 spaced apart and arranged in groups, there being three such groups of-six slots each, shown, and these slots open through the side edges of the bar forming this holder, and at one end extended through the bottom of said bar, so that each grid may be set into a slot in inverted position with its tang 2 projecting downwardly through the end of the solt which extends through the bottom of the bar, so that the lower ends of these tangs of each group Will project downwardly below the lower face of the bar and into one half of a mold cavity 7 for each group formed in one side of a mold block 8 upon which the holder 5 is secured by screws 9. Intermediate the ends of each mold cavity 7, a half-cavity 10 formed in the 35 block, opens into said half-cavity 7, both cavities being open through the side of the block with each cavity 7 of suicient length to extend across a group of grids and provide a mold for one half of each connecting bar 3 of each assembly, the 90 half cavity 10 at the same time forming one half o'f the terminal post 4 integral with said bar.

To form the other half of each connecting bar 3 and post 4, a fixed block or member 11 iixedly secured to a base plate 12, is formed in one side which is opposed to the mold block 8, with mold cavities 13 to form the other half of the several bars 3 and mold cavities 14 to oppose the cavities 10 and form therein the other half of the^ter minal posts, said block 11 being also formed with 100 open ways or channels 15, one for each group of grids, leading into one side of the cavities 13 and of a length equal to said cavities, to receive molten metal and conduct the same into said cavities 7, 10, 13 and 14 when the side face of 105 the mold block 8 is against the adjacent side face of the block 11 so that said cavities together form complete molds for said bar and post. The mold thus formed by said blocks 8 and 11 is therefore divided verticallyatthe center line of the cavities, and the casting formed integral with the tangs 2 by pouring molten metal into the mold cavity into which the tangs project, may be released by moving the block 8 away from the block 11 upon ways 16 provided on the base 12 at each end of the mold block 8.

To move the block 8 away from the fixed mold block 11 and release the casting from the mold cavities therein, a shaft 17 is mounted in bearings 18 on the base plate 12, parallel with the rear side of the block 8 and on this shaft are cranks 19 connected by connecting rods 20 with said block, the forward end of each rod being pivotally attached to the rear side of said block as at 21 and connected at their rear ends to said cranks by pins 22 on said cranks passing through elongated slots 23 in said rods. A lever handle 24 on said shaft provides means by which the shaft may be turned to actuate said cranks and move said block 8 toward or from said block 11.

The moving of the block 8 away from the block 11 will withdraw the casting from the half of the mold in the block 11, but as the grids 1 are carried by the holder 5 which is mounted upon the block 8, these grids will move with said block, and therefore in order to eject the casting from the mold in said block 8 it is necessary to provide ejecting rods 25 arranged to slide longitudinally through transverse openings in said block, there being preferably, as shown, one rod opposite each cavity 10 with the free end of each rod arranged to engage one side of the terminal post and push said post out of the cavity, thereby forcing the bar 3 out of its mold cavity in the block 8 and also moving the several grids 1 longitudinally in their holding slots 6 and their tangs 2 out of the ends of these slots.

It is necessary however that the grids with the bar and terminal post cast thereon, move with the block 8 sumciently to withdraw the bar and post from the mold cavity in the block 11 and it is also necessary that the end of the rod 25 be in position to fill the opening in the side of the cavity 10 when the parts are in position for casting so that the molten metal filling the cavity will be excluded from the hole in which the rod reciprocates. The rods 25 are therefore secured at their rear ends to a transverse bar 26 which in turn, is mounted for free sliding movement upon guide rods 27 fixed at their forward ends within openings in the rear side of the block 8 and project rearwardly therefrom through guide openings in said bar, said bar being formed with lateral bosses 28 around said guide openings to provde longer bearings for the bar on said rods. The bar 26 is therefore free to move upon said rods independently of the movement of the block 8 and as the rods 25 are secured at their outer ends to said bar, they move with the bar.

When the block 8 is moved rearwardly by the pins 22 coming into engagement with the rear ends of the slots 23, the bar 26 being free to move, will move with the block, carrying the rods 25 with it until said bar 28 comes into contact with a stop 29 on the base 12, when it with said rods will be stopped in such rearward movement, and therearward movement of the block 8 continuing, such movement being permitted by the sliding of the guides 2'? through the bar, said rods 25 will be projected through the block into engagement with the cast terminal post and thus move said post 4 and connecting bar 3 out of their mold cavities in the block 8, and as said bar and post are integral with the tangs 2 on the grids 1, said grids will be moved in their slots longitudinally a distance suicient to disengage the tangs 2 from the guide slots inthe holder 5, thus ejecting the assembly and leaving the parts in open position as shown in Figures 1 and 2.

The closing of the mold or the moving of the parts to the position shown in Figure 4 is accomplished by swinging the lever 24 which will bring the pivot pins 22 into engagement with the forward ends of the slots 23 and continuing this movement, will move the block 8 into face engagement with the block 11 and close the mold.

To insure the movement of the bar 26 and rods 25 with the block 8 back to proper position with the bar spaced from the stop 29 and with the ends of the rods 25 flush with the side wall of the mold cavity 10, said shaft 17 is provided with crank arms 30 having pivot pins passing through elongated slots 31 in links 32, the opposite ends of which links are pivotally connected to the rear side of the bar 26 as at 33. The pivot pins engaging the slots 31, permit movement of. the bar 26 independently of the block 8 and means for moving same, but in moving the parts to closed position, the pivot pin of each crank 30 engages the end of the slot 31 and thus the last portion of the movement of the lever 24 will positively move the bar and rods to exactly the proper position.

In casting, a sprue 3a as shown in Figures 4 and 5, is formed in each of the ducts 15 into which the molten metal is poured, and this sprue is integral at the mouth of each duct with the cast bar 3. To shear off these sprues even with the side face of the bar of the cast assembly, the block 11 is formed with a channel 34 adjacent the side of the several half mold cavities 13, said channel extending from end to end of the block, and fitting closely in this channel is a shearing bar 35 arranged to be raised within said channel, and in so doing, to shear oir the sprue from each connecting bar 3 of each assembly, as shown in Figure 5. To give a clean shearing action, a presser bar 36 is provided to rest upon the end portion of each sprue adjacent said connecting bar, said bars 35 and 36 being each notched slightly as at 37 to provide an opening therebetween, said bars forming a mouth for each duct 15 through which the molten metal enters the mold proper. Thispresser bar is slightly wider than the shearing bar 35 so that when the mold is-fclosed with the parts in the position shown in Figure 4, the inner side of this presser bar will abut the edges of the tangs 2 and the side face of the holder 5 to close the top portion of the mold recess 13 adjacent said tangs, and to press said presser bar 36 downwardly to its seat on the upper edge of the shear bar 35, fiat springs 38 are secured to the block 11 to engage said bar 36 adjacent its ends at the ends of the block.

To forcibly raise the shear bar 35 after the casting operation is completed and sever the sprues 3a, said bar is extended beyond the ends of the block 11 and secured upon each end of a shaft 39 mounted in bearings in the block 11 and extending beyond the ends of said block, is a cam member 40 to engage beneath the ends of said shearing bar 35 and force said bar upwardly in its channel. These cams 40 are simultaneously operated and in timed relation to the opening and closing of the mold, by providing crank arms 41 on the cams and to the lower ends of which arms connecting bars 42 are pivotally connected at one end, their opposite ends being pivotally attached to crank arms 43 secured upon the ends of the operating shaft 17. The movement of this severing bar and also the movement of the block 8 and bar 26 is therefore effected bythe swinging of the operating lever 24 by means of which the shaft 17 is turned, and the movement of these parts will be in timed relation due to the fact that there is a loose or slotted connection between the arms 19 and 30 on this shaft and their connecting bars or rods 20 and 32, so that the first movement of the shaft 17 will operate the cams 40 to raise the bar 35 and sever the sprues 3a while the cast assembly is still firmly held in the mold.

In order to release the sprues 3a from between the bars 35 and 36 after the severing operation, these bars are forcibly separated by providing the hold-down bar 36 with pins 44 which are secured at their upper end to said bar adjacent its ends and pass freely through openings in the bar 35 beyond the ends of the block 11 with their lower ends in position to be engaged by cams 45 on the shaft 39. The relative positions and dimensions of the cams 40 and 45 are such that the cams 40 will first raise the severing bar 35 to sever the sprue, and then the pins 44 will come into contact with the cams 45, holding the hold-down bar 36 in elevated or raised position but permitting the bar 35 to drop away from bar 36 as the cams are turned, and this separating of bars 35 and 36 to release the sprues is further insured by interposing coiled springs 46 (see Figure 6) between said bars within recesses therein adjacent said pins 44. Therefore immediately upon the cutting oil of the sprues as shown in Figure 5 the bars 35 and 36 engaging the portions of the sprues within the notches 37 in said bars, will be separated, releasing the sprues.

A particular feature of the present method of casting as carried out by this machine, is that the hot molten metal is introduced into each mold cavity adjacent one side of and in contact with a lower corner portion of the several grid tangs 2 which project into the cavity in which the connecting bar 3 is formed, and therefore as the hot metal flows into the mold it first contacts a small portion of these tangs, rapidly raising their temperature so that when the metal 1111s up in the mold to the top of the bar-forming portion thereof, surrounding the lower ends of these tangs, the temperature of these tangs will be just right to effect a perfect union with the cast bar.

Obviously changes may be made in the construction, arrangement, and relative movements of the parts as shown and described, without departing from the spirit of the invention, and such changes are contemplated.

What I 'claim isz- 1. In a battery plate assembling machine, the combination of relatively movable blocks having mold cavities in their adjacent sides adapted to form a complete mold cavity, one of said blocks being provided with a channel leading to said mold cavity to conduct molten metal thereto, means carried by one oi.' said blocks for holding a series of battery plates in spaced relation with tangs on said plates projecting into said mold cavity, a severing bar carried by one of said blocks and extending parallel with and adjacent to one side of said mold cavity across said channel in said block, means for moving said bar to sever a sprue formed in said channel, and a hold-down member opposed to said severing bar, said member and bar being cut away to form a mouth for said channel.

2. In a battery plate assembling machine, the combination of relatively movable blocks having mold cavities in their adjacent sides adapted to form a complete mold cavity, one of said blocks being provided with a channel leading to said mold cavity to conduct molten metal thereto, means carried by one of said blocks for holding a series of battery plates in spaced relation with tangs on said plates projecting into said mold cavity, a severing bar carried by one of said blocks and extending parallel with and adjacent to one side of said mold cavity across said channel in said block, means for moving said bar to sever Va sprue formed in said channel, a hold-down bar opposed to said severing bar, said bars being cut away at their adjacent sides to form a mouth for said channel, and means for yieldingly holding said hold-down bar in contact with said severing bar.

3. In a battery plate assembling machine, the combination of relatively movable blocks having mold cavities in their adjacent sides adapted to form a complete mold cavity, one of said blocks being provided with a channel leading to said mold cavity to conduct molten metal thereto, means carried by one of said blocks for holding a series of battery plates in spaced relation with tangs on said plates projecting into said mold cavity, a severing bar carried by one of said blocks and extending parallel with and adjacent to one side of said mold cavity across said channel in said block, means for moving said bar to sever a sprue formed in said channel, a holddown bar opposed to said severing bar, said bars being cut away 'at their adjacent sides to form a mouth for said channel, and means for moving said hold-down bar relative to said severing bar to release the severed sprue.

4. In a battery plate assembling machine, the combination of relatively movable blocks having mold cavities inv their opposed faces adapted to form a complete mold cavity, means for holding battery plates in spaced apart relation with the tangs of said plates projecting into said mold cavity, means for spacing one block away from the other to release the molded part from said mold, and means operable by movement of said spacing means relatively to said movable block for1 ngaging and ejecting the casting from the mo 5. In a battery plate assembling machine, the combination of relatively` movable blocks having mold cavities in their opposed faces together forming a cavity for casting therein a connecting bar and a terminal post integral with the tangs of a series of batteryplates, means for holding a series of battery plates in spaced apart relation, and with their tangsprojecting, intovsaid mold cavity, means for spacing one of said blocks away from the other to open the mold, means movable with said spacing means for engaging the casting formed in said mold and ejecting the same from the movable mold block, and, means for limiting the movement of saidejecting means.

6. In a battery plate assembling machine, the combination of relatively movable blocks having mold cavities in their opposed faces together forming a cavity for casting therein a connecting barand a terminal post integral with the tangs of a series of battery plates, meansfor holding a series of battery plates in spaced apart relation, and with their tangs projecting into said mold cavity, means for moving one of said blocks away from the other to open the mold, guides carried by said movable block, a transverse bar movable to conduct molten metal thereto, means for holding a series of battery plates in spaced relation with tangs on said plates projecting into said mold cavity, a severing bar movably mounted between said conducting means and said mold cavity; means for moving said bar to sever a sprue formed in said conducting means. and a holddown member opposed to said severing bar, said member and bar being adapted to permit flow of metal therebetween from said conducting means to said complete mold cavity.

ARTHUR MAYER. 

